Update on Nutrition Labeling TACD: Generation Excess III April 8, 2008 Camille Brewer, Deputy Director, Office of Nutrition, Labeling and Dietary Supplements Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Points to Cover

Background – Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990

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Regulatory Framework Framework for NLEA Decision-making Rulemaking process Next Steps

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Modernizing the Food Label

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Daily Value ANPRM

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Symbol

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Education

Regulatory Framework

LAW CONSTITUTION COURT DECISIONS

Rulemaking Process Notice and Comment Rulemaking

LAW ANPRM Proposed Rule Final Rule

Framework For NLEA Decision Making

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Nutrition Science Law Consumer Studies

Framework: Nutrition Science Criteria for Mandatory Status

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Quantitative intake recommendations had been made in scientific consensus documents.

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Nutrient is of particular public health significance

Framework: Law

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Nutrition information is mandatory

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Standard format

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Exemptions and special formats

Framework – Law Exemptions & Special Labeling

• • • • • • Bulk foods for further manufacturing Raw fruits, vegetables, and seafood Custom processed fish and game meat Small packages (less than 12 sq.in.) Food sold from bulk containers (nutrition information on display) Small business

Framework: Law

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Nutrition information must comply with specified format when on a package

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All nutrient and food component quantities shall be declared in relation to a serving

Mandatory Nutrients Calories Calories from fat* Total fat Saturated fat* Trans fat (required 1/1/06) Cholesterol* Sodium Total carbohydrate Dietary fiber* Sugars* Protein* Vitamin A* Vitamin C* Calcium* Iron* * Must be declared if present in more than insignificant amount or an alternative format may be used

Voluntary Nutrients

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Calories from saturated fat Polyunsaturated fat Monounsaturated fat Potassium Soluble Fiber Insoluble fiber Sugar Alcohol Other Carbohydrate Other vitamins and minerals for which RDIs have been established Beta-carotene (as % of Vitamin A)

Claims Trigger Nutrition Labeling

If a food, including dietary supplements, bears a nutrient content or health claim or other nutrition information it cannot use an exemption and must have nutrition labeling

Format

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The graphic requirements of the nutrition label is specified in the regulations

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Includes information on:

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Bolding

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Hairlines

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Type size

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Case

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Order

Pre-NLEA & NLEA Label Comparison

Framework: Consumer Studies

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Emphasis on consumer behavior

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Helps distinguish between consumer preference for information and the information used by consumers to make judgments on nutritional content

Framework: Consumer Studies %DV

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Percent Daily Value

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Few consumers were able to interpret absolute amounts of nutrient (e.g. g or mg) to assist with purchase decisions.

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% Daily Value concept resulted in more accurate use of label information for choices based on nutrition.

Framework: Consumer Studies %DV

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Effective use of %Daily Value improves with educational material.

< Useful to determine high and low for a nutrient < Can be used to estimate context for total diet

Next Steps?

Emerging Scientific Information

ANPRM on Daily Values

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Approach to Setting DVs (e.g., Estimated Average Requirement, Recommended Dietary Allowance, Adequate Intake, Tolerable Upper Level) Populations Update nutrient values?

Additional nutrients? Drop nutrients?

Prominence of calories?

Interest in Front Label Symbols

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Public Hearing, September 2007 Representatives from the UK, Denmark, Canada, Australia, Thailand Consumer Organizations Industry

Next Steps : Modernization of Nutrition Facts

Serving size information Prominence of Calorie information Update for values based on new DRIs .

How declared

Next Steps: Expansion of Consumer Studies and Education

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Relationship of “front” to “back” label

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Symbols

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Use of Web for education

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Continued collaboration in integrating Dietary Guidelines, Food Guidance System (myPyramid), and Labeling Educational Messages

Thank you!